


Surviving the Noble and Most Dysfunctional House of Black

by bellabitch_lestrange



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Childhood Sexual Abuse, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Lucissa is minor, Parent/Child Incest, Sibling Love, Vietnamese!Blacks, its a sad one, little to no fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-19 23:16:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 17,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5983954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellabitch_lestrange/pseuds/bellabitch_lestrange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The eleventh birthday of any young witch or wizard is an important one. Sirius Black manages to survive his, but not without seeing things that can't be unlearned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well I'm back with a new story. And I'll be honest I'm nervous. This is my first serial story so I am a little excited about it. I want to say a big Thank You to hell0lust on FF.net who's been helping me with my ideas and giving me brilliant ones! And if you haven't already, I vehemently recommend reading her fics because they give me life. I'm happy with all kinds of comments and kudos so if you want to take a bit of time to review, I'm totally down for that.
> 
> This is my take on Sirius' eleventh birthday - from start to finish. It starts out pretty tame but I dunno, it'll probably get a little darker as it goes on.

Sirius moaned and turned over in bed, his face hitting warm, golden light. The white light of the cold November morning cast a golden streak across the room through a gap in the curtains. He groaned again and opened his eyes against the harsh brightness. He sat up, bringing his fists to his eyes, rubbing away the fatigue.

He blinked a few times before a bang from the end of the corridor outside startled him completely awake. His brows furrowed as he heard loud footsteps stomping toward his door.

The door burst open and Regulus hurtled in, jumping up onto the King-sized bed.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Regulus near enough screamed in Sirius' ear.

"Shhhh!" Sirius said despite the grin that stretched the width of his face. "Are you mad? You'll wake Mother and Father." He said, chuckling at his brother's enthusiasm before he had finished the sentence.

Regulus sat back on his heels. "What are you talking about? They're already awake!"

Sirius' brows furrowed together for a second time that morning. "But it's only—" He stopped to check the clock on his bedside table. "7:32? You woke me at 7:32 in the morning?"

Regulus arched an eyebrow. "You were already awake! And Father's in the kitchen. I expect Mother is still doing her hair or make up or something." He watched as Sirius made to get up, out of the bed.

Sirius stepped into his slippers and went over to the black, polished dresser. "You'd best get dressed too, you know. I can't imagine Mother being happy to find you still in your pyjamas." He shot a warning look at his brother and Regulus' smile faltered slightly.

Regulus' expression cleared quickly however and he gave a dramatic sigh and flung himself at Sirius pillows. "Fine. If I must." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly upon hearing Sirius' laugh.

He got up to his feet and jumped off of the bed, trotting happily out the door.

Sirius sighed and continued to take a waistcoat and tie out of the drawer. He was interrupted when two small arms came around his middle. It took a moment to register that Regulus had come back to hug him. He turned and hugged Regulus tightly to him.

"Happy Birthday Sirius!"

And Regulus left the room. Sirius watched the now empty doorway after him, a smile on his face. He turned once again to the ornate dresser. Unbuttoning the silk pyjama shirt and slipping his arms into the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

"Kreacher." He spoke aloud to the empty room as he pulled some dress trousers to his hips.

The house elf apparated behind him with a _crack_. "Young master is needing Kreacher?"

"Make the bed and tidy up." Sirius said shortly as he tucked the shirt into the waistband of his trousers.

The elf gave Sirius a disgusted look but got to work with a very forced "Anything young master wishes."

Sirius smirked at the elf, knowing Kreacher hated being beneath Sirius. He continued to tie his tie and buttoned his waistcoat. He slipped on some dress shoes, slid both hands through his slightly-too-long hair and shook out the curls that fell to the bottom. He looked in the mirror in front of him and arched a brow at his appearance.

"Your reflection isn't going to talk back to you, child."

The cocky grin immediately fell from his face and his shoulders unconsciously straitened as he looked at his mother in the reflection.

"Mother. I wasn't aware you were there."

Walburga Black stood in the doorway to Sirius' room. A corsetted bust pulled her small waist in tighter and pushed her breasts further up her chest. Her neck was covered with a collar similar to the cổ áo and fastened tightly with a pearly button. Long sleeves covered her upper arms and black lace gloves adorned her hands. Long, black silks trailed down to the floor in a wizarding mock of the áo dài, slim and fitting to her small form. Her hair was pulled into an intricate chignon at the back of her head and pale face was only enhanced with dark make up. Sirius thought if it wasn't for the bone chilling look in her eyes, she might look pretty.

"Well, it's your eleventh birthday." She said as she walked over to him slowly. She bent in front of him, opened his waistcoat and and started to retie his tie. "A large barn owl has dropped off a letter with your name on it."

At her words, Sirius looked up at her, excitement in his eyes.

She looked back at him and Sirius saw the corner of her mouth turn up slightly. She finished tying his tie and re-buttoned his waistcoat. She looked at him meaningfully for a moment. "You'll make your Father and I proud." She said, her tone almost challenging him to do otherwise.

He raised his chin defiantly and chose his words carefully. "I'll start by opening that letter then."

She stood, seemingly satisfied, turned and left the room. Sirius heard her footsteps retreating back into the hallway before the clicking of her heals disappeared at the stairs.

He let out a breath, he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

Another _crack_ startled him as Kreacher, finished with his work, apparated back to the kitchen.

With one last look at his reflection in the mirror, he headed for the door too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> áo dài - a Vietnamese national dress typically worn by women. It is usually worn with trousers beneath but being that British wizards don't wear typically British clothing (instead opting for wizarding robes) I decided that Vietnamese wizards would have their own clothes too. So instead it is more dress like - something similar to an áo ngũ thân.
> 
> cổ áo - the collar of the áo dài.
> 
> If you are Vietnamese or of Vietnamese heritage or have a wider understanding of traditional Vietnamese dress, please talk to me. Tell me where I'm wrong (god knows I probably am) and help me make the Vietnamese Blacks more authentic.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to update quickly to get the story started so here's the next chapter. I'm still totally cool with reviews if you ever wanna drop one.

Sirius walked into the kitchen to find Regulus already in his seat at the table, enjoying a bowl of crunchy cereal in the shape of little goblin faces, each piece sticking his tongue out at Regulus. Sirius near enough sauntered over to the window where a large barn owl was perched, a letter in its beak.

"Kreacher, feed the owl" he ordered.

"Of course, young master."

Before Sirius could reach for a letter opener, his mother's voice sounded. "Sit down for breakfast, Sirius."

Sirius stopped himself back chatting with a swift look from his Father and sat down opposite Regulus who looked up at him from the teasing cereal he as trying to stab with his spoon. "Well? You going to open it?" Regulus' enthusiasm was palpable. Walburga continued to drink her tea whilst she kept a watchful eye on Sirius and Orion sat reading the newspaper in silence. He was always silent. 

"It might just be birthday mail you know, Reg." Sirius replied with a laugh.

Regulus narrowed his eyes. "Oh just hurry up, Siri."

Sirius reached for the letter opener, and slid it under the lip of the envelope before he even noticed his mother glaring daggers into his head. He looked up at her. "How many times have I told you? Your Father gave you such wonderful names, it would be nice if you used them." She said, scalding the both of them.

Both boys chorused a "Sorry, Mother" before Sirius continued ripping at the envelope. He finally pulled out the parchment, his eyes rapidly scanning the ink. A bright grin lit up his face and Sirius felt himself swelling with an almighty excitement.

"This is it! It's the Hogwarts letter! I've been invited! This is it! This is it!" His outburst was accompanied by Regulus' whoops of excitement.

Walburga watched with a very slight, very rare smile at her lips. Deciding, for once, to not admonish them for their unbecoming outburst.

Orion said nothing, instead he held out his hand. Sirius stopped celebrating immediately, but his smile was still just as bright as he placed the letter into his father's hand. Sirius watched Orion's eyes flick back and forth across the parchment and suddenly Sirius was trying to remember how many lines of writing were on the parchment, and trying to gauge which part of the letter he was reading from the never-changing, forever-blank expression on his father's face.

Orion finally raised his eyes from the parchment, seemingly finished, and placed it in the middle of the table, picking up his newspaper again. The whole table seemed to let out a collective breath as they realised he had nothing to say.

Walburga picked the parchment from the middle of the table. Her eyes scanned the second page. "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, A History of Magic, A Beginner's guide to Transfiguration… We'll go to Diagon Alley during the summer so you don't have time to destroy your things."

Sirius nodded and quickly swallowed the last of his toast. He looked towards Regulus. "You want to go outside and toss a Quaffle around for a bit?"

Before Regulus could reply however, Orion cleared his throat. Silence once again fell as the Patriarch commanded attention. Sirius immediately thought of everything he had done recently that would be deserving of a beating. There were a fair few things he could think of but he stopped thinking completely when Orion reached into his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a small, rectangular box.

He placed the polished wood on the table in front of Sirius. Sirius looked up at his Father and then to his mother. She sat back into her chair as if it were a thrown and said "Happy Birthday, Sirius."

Sirius and Regulus very rarely got any presents before dinner when either of their birthday's came, and even then, they would only get the one present from their parents. Sirius thought it odd for their parents to break this tradition but he quickly decided he didn't mind if he was getting another present.

He looked down at the box and unclasped the silver catch and the lid was stiff as he pushed it open. His eyes went wide as he looked down at the contents. Cushioned in green velvet lay a small, silver dagger. The knife was straight and pointed. It shined so much he could see his face reflected in the blade.

Regulus craned his neck to get a look at what he saw.

Sirius picked the blade up by the black leather hilt. He looked straight at his Father, an amazed smile on his face. "It's beautiful!"

Regulus finally came out of his daze too. "It's just like yours, Father!" He looked at the dagger with awe. "You know what, Siri? I bet that's shinier than Bella's." A pointed _ahem_ from his Mother stopped him. "Bellatrix, I mean."

Sirius still looked at the dagger in his hands with admiration. "What is she called?" he asked Orion.

Orion looked down to Sirius. "Canis Major. The Dogstar." Orion's voice was deep and solid. It seemed to reverberate with authority.

Sirius felt himself swelling with pride and excitement as he placed the dagger back into the cushion and closed the box.

Walburga spoke again from the end of the table. "It's official. You're of Wizarding age. Your Father and I felt it befitting of a young heir to have a dagger of his own. You may keep it in your Father's study with his knives, if you wish."

Sirius nodded. "Of course. Thank you Father."

Orion tilted his welcome in Sirius' direction. Sirius got off his chair and ran over to Walburga's chair at the other end of the table. He bent and kissed his Mother on the cheek. She seemed startled at the affection but Sirius decided that his present warranted a thank you.

"C'mon, Reg. Let's go get the brooms." Both boys scurried out of the room.

Walburga looked towards Orion. With a face of sincere thought she said "I can't decide if we've raised a noble heir or a little shit." She paused as she thought. "I'm going to go with both."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I'm going to be updating every day, because I have nothing else to do. Remember, this story is pretty T-Rated but will get darker as it goes on. Here's another short chapter that I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Also I am painfully aware of how slow this is but the story does only span over one day so just bare with.

Sirius sat three metres in the air, straddling a broom. He held a large, red Quaffle to his chest and was clutching the broom tightly with his thighs to keep his balance. "Alright Reg, this time I'm gonna throw it away from you and you have to fly to catch it."

Reg frowned in response. "I can fly, Siri. I can catch. I can not do both." He gripped his broom with both hands, not nearly as capable as his older brother. "I'm not some kind of wonder man!"

Sirius looked back at his brother incredulously. "You are honestly  _the_ most dramatic person I know." He propelled the ball, from his chest, into the empty air, just to the right of his brother. Regulus' eyes went wide at the sudden assault and quickly dived for the ball, crashing into the grass when he couldn't pull up in time.

He looked up to his older brother who was howling with laughter. "Reg, oh Merlin-" He collapsed into another fit of giggles. Regulus, deciding that now would be a good time to shut his brother up, grasped the ball from a bush beside him and lobbed it at his brother.

"Hey!" Sirius rubbed his now sore forehead. "What are you trying to do, murder me?"

Regulus narrowed his eyes as he bent to pick up his broom. "And you call me dramatic," he said as he attempted to straighten out the twigs in the tail of his broom.

Sirius chuckled at his brother's chagrin before he saw his Mother walk out, into the garden. His laughter ceased and he flew down and dismounted his broom to stand next to Regulus.

"By Merlin. Look at the two of you." Walburga's look alone made it clear that she wasn't impressed with the state they were in and her tone certainly held no jovial _boys will be boys_ attitude. "Get upstairs and straighten yourselves out. We'll be leaving for your Aunt and Uncle's soon enough."

Sirius immediately asked the same question he asked every time they were to visit their Aunt and Uncle. "Prewett or Black?"

"Black, of course," she said with an arched brow, almost challenging him.

Sirius' shoulders deflated instantly. He closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the psychological battle field that was coming for him, later. He much preferred Aunt Lucretia, however brutally honest she may be, to the quietly cynical Aunt Druella. As for his Uncle Ignatius, he could be any man he wished, a mass murderer even, and Sirius would still feel safer than he did in the company of Uncle Cygnus.

He was broken out of his reverie by his mother's harsh voice. "What are you two waiting for? Upstairs. Now." She said, emphasising the point with clapped hands.

Sirius and Regulus chorused a practised "Yes Mother" before dropping their brooms and walking back through door, followed closely by Walburga.

They took off their boots in the utility room that Kreacher usually inhabited. With now, just sock clad feet they walked through the kitchen, into the entrance hall, and up two flights of stairs before turning into Sirius' room.

Sirius shut the door behind the both of them and lent against it, letting out a breath.

Reg eyed him, both of them aware of what the other was thinking. Sirius shook his head. "I hate Uncle Cygnus."

"Me too." Reg walked over to Sirius' bed, picking up a hairbrush from the dresser as he went, and sat himself on the bed and started combing out the knots in his hair that flying had left behind.

Sirius walked to the mirror and started retying his tie and adjusting his shirt sleeves and studied his reflection in thought. It's not as though Uncle Cygnus had ever given Sirius reason enough to dislike him. He had never outwardly proven any sort of perversion, and yet Sirius was hard-pressed to recall any situation in which he'd been smiled at by the man or comforted at all. In fact, thinking very hard, Sirius could not for the life of him remember a single time where anyone in the family had been pleased to be in Uncle Cygnus' presence. Father's face always held a look of clear contempt for the man and Mother just seemed to avoid her brother's eye completely. But Sirius supposed, with the looks Cygnus had given _him_ , he couldn't blame her.

"Does he ever just give you one of those looks...?" Sirius asked hesitantly.

"... like he's going to kill you?" Regulus finished from where he sat on the bed, the hair brush now stationary in his lap. "Yeah, every time 'Meda reads to me."

Sirius looked at his brother, all thoughts of failing to catch a Quaffle, banished. Sirius hated having to remember his family was what it was. "Reg, he's never... ?" He left the question to hang in the air, a thousand unspoken scandals hanging with it.

Reg shook his head straight away. "No, no. 'Course not." He said softly through the denseness around them, the air suddenly heavy with trepidation.

Sirius nodded his relief. "Good." He hastily looked for a subject change. "Come on then. Go and get your cloak and we'll go down."

Reg got up from the bed and trotted away happily, as if their conversation hadn't happened.


	4. Chapter 4

After making himself presentable, Sirius had reached for his cloak and swung it over his shoulders, and fastening the nút bấm thân áo along his left shoulder and down the left side of his waist. He had met Regulus outside his door before they went downstairs to where their parents were standing in the entrance hall. They had held an arm of their Mother's each whilst she had spun on her heel and apparated them outside the gates of Black Estate.

Sirius looked up at the wrought iron gates. They lead to a long winding road despite the fact that no car was ever used to reach the manor. The road was a grassy dirt path, lined with thick red forest either side. The manor was a large Tudor building which held a an acre of rolling hill in the back where they kept a stable for their seven horses. The grounds extended further to the thick, unkempt forests of Delamere which, as Sirius knew, was home to various creaks and lakes along the riding trails. To say the grounds were expansive was a gross understatement in Sirius' opinion. But the picturesque Cheshire home did nothing to comfort Sirius.

The wrought iron gates opened slowly upon their arrival. The four strolled leisurely down the winding road for five minutes before the manor came into view.

With stones crunching under foot, they made their way to the front door where Orion stepped forward to wrap on the ornate black knocker. Seconds passed before Jibsey, the house elf, opened the door and peered his timid face into sight.

His eyes went wide and he gave a strange impression of a smile. "Masters Black! Come in! Yous are all very welcome."

Jibsey took their cloaks upon entering.

Walburga spoke. "Where is my brother?"

"Master and Mistress are in the drawing room, Miss."

None of them said anything more. Sirius went straight to the double doors that led to the drawing room. Cygnus and Druella stood, the latter stepping forward to great Orion and Walburga. "good to see you, Orion," she said stepping up to kiss him on the cheek. Druella was a naturally slim woman that three pregnancies had eventually developed into a curvier frame. At the tender age of 36, Druella looked well and young, her blonde hair curled loosely around her shoulders and small crow's feet gracing the edge of her eyes. 

Sirius watched his Mother stiffen as her brother brought the back of her hand to his lips in greeting. "How wonderful to see you, Walburga, it has been too long."

Cygnus was much different to his wife. Where she was slim, he was broad and muscular. Where her hair shone platinum white, his was jet black, streaked with charcoal already. He was tall, taller than Sirius' own father and as the man sat back into the corner of the sofa, Sirius felt the dominance and power roll off of him in waves. It was nerve-wracking. Cygnus brushed his hand across his chest, straightening the black silk of his áo gấm over his body.

Walburga forced a "of course, Brother" and the adults continued their greetings.

Druella, still standing for her guests, stepped back to look at Sirius. "Now, what a handsome boy you've grown to be. I hear you're eleven now."

Sirius smirked with an arched eyebrow and an aristocratic boredom to his features, an expression that was so _Black_ that he knew it would satisfy the family. "Of course! I'm of Wizarding age now!"

"How very regal of you." She smirked and sat on the sofa next to Cygnus as the adults began talking about adult things.

Sirius could tolerate his aunt. She was easy, really. Be cocky and confident and charming. Be a Black. She'd leave him with a condescending smirk and that would be that. He also decided she was the safest of adults to interrupt. "Excuse me, where are the others?"

Sirius thought he might be wrong in his decision, however, when Cygnus was the one who spoke. "Others?" He fixed Sirius with a menacing stare.

"Apologies Uncle. Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa, I meant." Sirius unconsciously gulped.

Druella spoke before Cygnus could think of a reason to keep him from seeing his daughters. "They're in the Library." She said, ignoring the tensing of Cygnus' hand on her waist.

Sirius nodded and left the room with Regulus close on his heels.

They both let out a breath once the doors closed behind them. "Merlin, he hates us." Reg said to Sirius.

"He hates everyone."

* * *

They opened one of the grand double doors and were immediately assaulted with the heady sound of Bellatrix's laughter.

The followed the sound through tall aisles of books upon books until they reached the middle of the room. The library was oddly bright despite the towering shelves, especially in the middle of the room. A window that stretched the height of the room cast a golden blanket on the chaise lounge and two arm chairs that were situated in a clearing. In the middle of the furniture, three women lounged on a rug, animatedly sharing stories.

Bellatrix saw them approach first. "Well, if it isn't the birthday boy." Her face was alight with a large grin and heavily lidded eyes.

Sirius bowed dramatically at the three girls. They shifted aside so the boys could join them. Andromeda pulled Regulus into her lap and gave him a wet kiss on the cheek much to his chagrin.

"What're you talking about?" Sirius asked still giggling at Regulus, who was wiping his cheek fervently.

"Nothing." Narcissa said almost before Sirius had finished his question.

Bellatrix let out a loud bark of laughter. She lent close to the young boys in conspiratorial manner. "We're talking about Cissy's sex life."

Sirius and Regulus looked at each other with a scandalized horror. All three girls chuckled at their reaction.

Regulus whispered in Narcissa's direction. "B- but your not married. You can't have… you know..." He said, trying to get his point across by widening his eyes. 

Andromeda chuckled whilst Bellatrix spoke up. "You mean sex, Reg?"

Regulus blushed as Bellatrix continued. "Well you know that boy, from the Gentlemen's Ball? You know, with the blonde hair."

Sirius nodded with a scandalized grin spread across his face.

"Well, apparently he's been keeping our Cissy up at night." She gave Sirius a classified wink for good measure.

Regulus, not understanding the meaning behind Bellatrix's words, spoke up. "All night? Sirius and I aren't allowed to stay up all night."

Bellatrix looked delightedly at Narcissa. "I don't know. How about it, Cissy, _all night?_ " Narcissa's cheeks were growing pinker by the minute.

"Can we please change the subject? 'Meda, what's happening with your love life?" She looked pleadingly at Andromeda.

Andromeda chuckled. "Nothing. Although that Nott boy doesn't look too bad." The lie was easy, of course. Growing up in Black Estate made lying to family much too easy. "Bella, how about you?" She was also looking to hand the focus of conversation over to someone else.

Bellatrix let out a low, sultry chuckle. "I shouldn't say what kind of things Rod does to me, not with children present. It'd give them nightmares."

Both Narcissa and Andromeda looked quite disgusted. Sirius decided it was time to find a deck of cards.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter with this story. Hopefully they'll stay pretty much this length because I know they've been short. I really appreciate kudos and comments because im an attention whore. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Walburga was sitting on the edge of the sofa animatedly talking about the _nerve_ some people had these days. "I mean really, the insolent child just looked me up and down and smirked, _smirked_ , at me. I was in half a mind to slap the oversexed, horny little grin straight off his face." Her mouth was a hard, thin line and her eyes stormed.

Druella laughed heartily, lowering her wine glass for for Jibsey to refill. "What happened? He didn't make any advances on you, I hope?"

Walburga shook her head vehemently. "No, Mabel – you know, Mabel McKinnon – well she stepped up straight away and sent the boy packing. But if she hadn't have been there I'd have hexed him where it hurts."

"You shouldn't have been alone."

Both women turned to Cygnus who was walking back from the drinks cabinet, having poured himself and Orion another tumbler of Whiskey each.

Walburga stiffened once again upon seeing the look in her brother's face. "Well like I said, I wasn't alone, Mabel-"

"Another woman is hardly adequate protection." He scoffed, his voice was mocking but it was the black look in his eyes that she found was hard to argue with. Orion saw she was starting to freeze up, something Walburga Black only ever did in her brother's presence. He stepped forward slightly, shifting his weight so he was between his wife and his brother-in-law. He stared at Cygnus with a blank expression save for one eyebrow arched in challenge.

Cygnus stepped back and turned back to seat himself, once again, in his armchair.

The whole room was aware of what had happened, and even more aware of what could have happened. Each occupant avoided eye contact with each other and the silence extended a few seconds before it was broken by the roar of the fire.

Black boots stepped out of the green flames and a tall, muscular man stood up dusting soot off of his suit.

Druella smiled at the familiar face. "Oh Rodolphus, I'm so glad you could make it!"

Rodolphus bent and brought the matriarch's hand to his lips. "I would never miss an opportunity to dine with my soon-to-be family." He sent her a charming wink before standing straighter to address Cygnus. His face dropped when he set his eyes on him.

"Lestrange"

"Mr. Black" He nodded curtly to Cygnus and turned to Orion and Walburga, "I heard of your heir being accepted to Hogwarts, you must be thrilled." he said with a smile.

"Naturally." Walburga replied easily, already appreciating a distraction for Cygnus' ire. Orion gave a silent nod and his almost-non-existent smile.

Rodolphus gave his charm smile again to the room, "I assume Bellatrix and the girls are in the library?" Without waiting for a reply, he left the room, entered the grand entrance hall and started up the staircase, leaving a fuming Cygnus behind him.

* * *

Sirius was currently sat cross legged, facing a cross-legged Bellatrix, with narrowed eyes. He held his cards close to his chest, peering at each one slowly.

Bellatrix smirked. "Any day now, Siri."

By this point, his shoes had been removed and his tie loosened. He looked the image of a younger, overworked Orion. He picked his best card and placed it down on the pile. Regulus watched the game, lying on his front with his head in his hands and feet in the air. He sucked in a breathe at the guts of Sirius' move.

Bellatrix smirked again, "Sorry, baby Siri." She placed her own card on top and not a second after she lifted her hand from the pile, the whole deck had set alight. "I win." She gave a triumphant smile, flashing brilliant white teeth.

Before Sirius could challenge her to a rematch, however, the library door opened again. Between the two aisles of books, Rodolphus strode to where they were. Bellatrix's grin widened at the sight of him and she got up to run to him where Rodolphus caught her and picked her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

Sirius' lip curled at the sight of her peppering kisses all over Rodolphus' jaw. Andromeda and Narcissa only smiled.

Bellatrix slipped down to the floor, "But I thought you couldn't make it tonight."

"Yes well, I explained to my division head that I was to be impressing Cygnus Black and he let me go." Sirius thought the pair of them looked an odd couple. Rodolphus was easily 6"4, perhaps taller, but Bellatrix, like all women of Black stock, was very short. She had always claimed she was 5"1 but he knew his own Mother was 5"1 and Bellatrix was definitely shorter.

They walked back to the where the others were lounging between the furniture.

Sirius liked Rodolphus. He, too, was cocky and arrogant. He was patronising at times but he was funny and he made Bellatrix laugh, which Sirius thought was very impressive feat. Most of all Sirius liked how Rodolphus went to extra lengths to annoy Cygnus without doing anything Cygnus could prosecute him for. For example, how he looked. Rodolphus was outwardly flamboyant; he had thick, dark red hair that lay in a braid down to his hips. He had tattoos all up his arms and neck, with two tattooed lines that framed his eyes. He was a very big man, as big as Cygnus himself, and Sirius loved to watch it all boil Cygnus from the inside.

"Ladies." Rodolphus bowed his head in Narcissa's and Andromeda's direction. Then he turned to Sirius and Regulus. "You two have certainly grown."

Sirius' brow furrowed. "Well I should think so. I'm eleven now!" He tilted his chin up proudly.

Rodolphus smirked. "So I heard." He reached into his waistcoat pocket, pulling out a long, thin box. "Trixie gave me some help."

Sirius' eyes widened at another present. Rodolphus put the box on the chaise lounge, took out his wand and resized the it so that it was now longer than Sirius was tall.

The younger boy grinned as he stepped towards the box and unclasped the two mettle catches. He pushed the lid up and nearly screamed when he saw what was inside. "A Thunderbolt Winger!" Regulus immediately scrambled up from where he was sat to get a look at the broom.

Sirius was ecstatic as he turned to Rodolphus. "But this is one of the best Beater's brooms on the market! How did you know?" He didn't pause for an answer "It's brilliant! It's perfect! Thank you, thank you!" He ran to where Bellatrix leant into Rodolphus' side and threw his arms around the both of them.

Both of there eyes widened at the child. Neither of them were very affectionate to anyone but each other, especially not children. Rodolphus awkwardly patted Sirius' head before Sirius let go and raced back to his new broom.

"She needs tuning and the bolts need tightening properly before you can fly her." Rodolphus told Sirius.

Narcissa spoke up, "Well then, considering we can't go flying right now, how about we go for a ride?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Evelyn Greengrass is the very same Evelyn Greengrass you might find in hell0lust's brilliant fic The Subtleties That Make Mass Murderers Out of Otherwise Decent Human Beings which for those of you who haven't read it, is a deadly fic that you can find on FF.net. Thank you muchly for letting me borrow her and I urge you all to go and read it so you can also fall in love with Evelyn Greengrass.

The six of them hurried down the staircase and headed down the hall. They walked down the corridor until they reached the back doors. Once into the expansive garden, they headed toward the paddock at the other end of the field.

Sirius closed his eyes. The sun was high in the cloudy school and the air was filled with a warmth so uncharacteristic of November.

Once they reached the stables, Sirius went straight for the Champagne Barb horse which Narcissa had told him was called Pride. He turned to Andromeda. "Hey 'Meda, why do all the horses have such weird names?"

"They're named after the seven deadly sins," she explained. At his look of confusion she continued. "It basically means Daddy likes to show of how rich and pretentious he is."

Sirius nodded his understanding.

Before he had successfully saddled Pride, a great, black Friesian had cantered out of the gangway of the stable, Bellatrix atop of it. Sirius found it odd how alike rider and horse looked. He walked out of the stable and met Narcissa patting the neck of a pretty silver, dappled pony.

She looked at him for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "You need help getting on don't you?"

"No." He said defiantly, but still made no move to mount the horse.

She smirked. "Right. Give me your foot." He put his boot into her hands and pushed up off her shoulder, swinging his leg over the saddle. She looked up at him, "better?"

He gave a shy smile. "Yes, thank you." She chuckled at him and climbed up onto the pony.

"What's that one's name?" He pointed towards the silver horse she was sat on.

"This is Lust." She stroked the white blonde main. "She's the prettiest in my opinion."

Andromeda trotted up on a blue roan horse, handing Narcissa, Sirius, and Regulus a helmet each. "Where's Bella?" she said looking around.

The three silently pointed to the paddock fence where Bella was sat on top of her horse. They watched as Rodolphus climbed up on behind her and yanked the reins out of her hands. The Friesian was instantly racing off into the trees.

Andromeda sighed, an unimpressed look on her face. "C'mon Envy, let's go bring them their helmets. At the rate they're going, Merlin knows they'll need them." She cantered off after them.

Narcissa turned to the boys. "You two know how to ride?" They both nodded back to her and she seemed satisfied. "C'mon then," and she trotted off after the others.

"Want to race?" Reg said with a challenge in his eye.

"You're on." Both were off down the trail.

* * *

Bellatrix screamed as the horse beneath her galloped at high speed. "You slow this thing down right now, or so help me, Rod!" She was clutching at the long black main beneath her. Rodolphus only laughed harder.

"I thought you liked it fast?" He yelled over the deafening wind rushing past them and beating of the horses hooves on the dirt.

Bellatrix was enraged. "That's not funny, Rod."

He let out a loud laugh at her distress and slowed the horse to a canter, then to a trot, and then to a complete stop.

He leant forward to her left ear and she turned to face him, her face fuming. "You deserve a good, hard curse for that."

He chuckled into her neck and kissed her. "You wouldn't curse me, I'd be of no use to you."

Her face softened as his lips started trailing kisses from her jaw to her neck. "No, you wouldn't." She smiled and arced her neck for him.

They were interrupted by the sound of hooves as Andromeda cantered up to them. "These are yours." she said as she chucked two helmets into Rodolphus' hand.

"Sorry 'Meda, but this seems a little boring." he said, eyeing the helmets.

"Safety is never boring." she said with a smile.

Rodolphus look bewildered as Bellatrix laughed. "I can't tell if she's joking." he whispered to Bellatrix. Andromeda just laughed.

Before they could say anything else, the other three cantered up. "Where are we going?" Narcissa asked them.

They all shrugged but Regulus spoke. "How about the lake?"

"Brilliant! Let's go." Sirius agreed.

They rode leisurely down the riding trail, following the creek. The sky was blue and the sun streaked golden paths through the gaps in the trees. Orange and Green leaves fell and crunched under hoof as they rode. The sounds of birds and the rushing water of the brook beside them was background noise to their idle chatter.

"Slughorn's pretty easy to navigate. He's quite simple, really." Rodolphus, Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa were currently giving advice on life at Hogwarts.

"And the common room is quite pretty. The windows are cool, you can see all the creatures in the lake swimming past." Andromeda added.

"And our Quidditch team is brilliant." Narcissa said.

Bellatrix spoke, "well that depends who the beaters are now, that Dolohov and I have left." To which Rodolphus just laughed.

"I'm sure the chasers don't quite compare to Evan, Nott and I." He added with a cocky grin. "We won the house cup four years in a row if I remember."

"Well Ravenclaw won last year." Andromeda stated.

"But we're doing the best this year." Narcissa said. "It's Gryffindor we have to worry about. Those Prewett twins are brilliant."

They continued talking about Hogwarts and Sirius found himself becoming more infatuated with the place the more he heard. He wanted to learn Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. He knew he'd be top of his Astronomy class, he knew it all already. But the more his cousins talked of the creatures and holidays and grounds, the more anxious he found himself to go.

One of the things he found himself wanting most of all was to meet knew people. The only people he knew his age were Evelyn Greengrass, the girl from the Gentleman's Ball that Sirius had become close with over the years, and some other boys that seemed to worship him.

He was broken out of his thoughts when he rode out of the shadow of the trees and into warm sunlight. The dirt ground sloped down to where it met the still water. The lake was clear of trees apart from a large willow that hung over the edge of one side of the lake, shading it completely. The branches dipped their slim fingers into the cool depths, reminding Sirius of Aunt Druella swirling her wine.

Narcissa dismounted her pony and walked over to where Sirius had stopped with his Barb. She held out her arms for him to climb into. He smiled his thanks and used her help to get down.

Andromeda had dismounted her horse and walked him to the willow, tying the reins to a low branch. Rodolphus hopped off the back of the Friesian, holding out a hand for Bellatrix. She ignored him completely and swung herself off the horse without his help.

Rodolphus, unimpressed with Bellatrix's dismissal, walked over to where Regulus was still sat on his horse and grabbed the boy under his arms, lifting him and placing him on the ground. Sirius appreciated it when the adults were especially nice to Regulus.

"The lake gets prettier every time we come here." Narcissa said as she started to take of her shoes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No but seriously, Evelyn Greengrass is a truly brilliant character and I love her. Also hell0lust writes some of the best Wolfstar angst ever so if you ever want to suffer, she's your gal.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the length - or lack there of - of this chapter. I feel like at some point I'm going to end up just condensing this whole story. I'll wait 'til it's finished though.

Sirius walked over to a grassed area and took off his shoes and socks, sitting down next to Narcissa. They didn't often look alike, but as Narcissa and Sirius sat back on their hands, letting their bare toes wiggle in the grass, the resemblance was uncanny. Her platinum blonde hair curled and kinked as she had foregone the straightening charms that morning and it mirrored the bends of Sirius' jet black mane. Sirius' eyes were closed lightly in his relaxation and although his eyes were larger and more heavily lidded than hers, and hers more pinched toward the corners in a mesmerising slant, their expressions were identical: content.

"This is brilliant." Regulus said as he sat down next to them, starting to mindlessly tear the grass from the soil.

Andromeda sat on the grass too, closer to the water, wetting her toes. She smiled, soaking in the peace that the lake brought.

Sirius sat up, looking around at everyone's stillness. It was far too peaceful. He looked over to where Bellatrix was sat in Rodolphus' lap. The ginger man was whispering to Bellatrix, perched between his legs, and she giggled conspiratorially at whatever it was that Rodolphus was saying.

Sirius got up quietly from where he was sat and moved closer to the water. Andromeda noticed him moving and could already see what he was going to do. She inwardly sighed but made absolutely no move to stop him. Rolling up his trouser legs, Sirius stepped into the water, put his hands into the greenish pools and swung upward, showering both Bellatrix and Rodolphus with an almighty splash.

Regulus, Narcissa and Andromeda looked over with their mouths hanging open. Regulus burst into a fit of laughter at the look of Bellatrix's wild curls soaked and sticking to her face and Rodolphus' eye liner starting to clump in the corners, eyelashes sticking together in a terrifying parody of a raccoon. 

"SIRIUS YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Bellatrix sprung up from the ground and leapt at him, pushing him completely under the water.

He spluttered when he came back up and Bellatrix was laughing. He splashed her again, harder this time and ended up getting water on Andromeda.

"Watch it, Sirius!" She yelled, abhorring at the soaked silk of her áo dài but Sirius just winked at her. She smirked a devious smirk and got up to join in the fight. Before long, all of them were splashing in the shallow sides of the lake, sending water over each others heads.

Bellatrix was easily winning, having dried off in the sun from where Sirius had splashed her before, she was pushing Sirius under and sending water into Cissy's hair, making the strands coil and curl in the wetness. "'Course you deserve this, you arse." He shouted, laughing at Sirius. He scrunched his nose up and, with a lot of concentration, aimed another handful of water at Bella. It caught the side of her trousers and she decided to make her escape.

Bellatrix climbed out of the water and up onto a higher bank where she stood, safe.

Rodolphus chased his way up the bank and trapped her between him and the lake behind her.

"Don't you dare, Rod." She said, backing away from him and toward the drop of the steep bank behind her.

"Don't dare to what?" Rodolphus said, feigning innocence.

"I know. I know what you're going to do and let me tell you: if you're smart, you're _not_ going to do it." She said, holding a hand out in front of her to stop him.

The others, who were thoroughly drenched, were cheering Rodolphus on. "Take her out, Rod." Cissy cheered, a satisfied smirk on her face.

Rodolphus' smirk widened. "Don't be scared, Trixie. Come here. Give me a hug."

"Come any closer and I'll- I'll-"

He let out a loud laugh, his chiselled jaw accentuated with dazzling white teeth. "You'll what, Trixie?"

Before she could think of a sufficient threat, he moved forward, grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, Bellatrix immediately clinging to him. He ran and jumped of the bank, expecting her to fall into the water, but he landed with Bellatrix's legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck.

His laugh sounded loudly through the clearing. "Oh come on, Trix. Let. Go." He punctuated the last words with a jump, trying to shake her off.

Whilst the others started to wade back to the banks to dry off in the sun, Rodolphus stayed standing in the water with Bellatrix in his arms.

After keeping his hands under her thighs, she relaxed into him somewhat. Her arms releasing their vice-like grip on his shoulders and moved to caress the back of his neck. "Are you staying tonight?" She looked up to him, the hope in her eyes only visible if you knew her like he did.

"Yeah, I thought I would if that's alright." He spoke softly to her.

She nodded into his chest, pressing her cheek into his waist coat. "Good, Daddy's been…" She paused for thought. "... angry." She said finally.

"In what way?" He chose his words carefully, knowing that some things shouldn't be said aloud.

"Well, he's been irritable, obviously, but-" she paused again. "Mother's staying up with me late at night and when she thinks I've gone to sleep, she stays at the door." She gave a heavy sigh and tightened her arms around his neck. "She knows." 

"I'd find it hard to believe if she didn't. She's been married to him for years." He hugged her small frame to him tighter.

Bellatrix hastily looked to change the subject. "He hit her." Even if the subject change was small. "She didn't agree with something he said at dinner so..." She left the sentence hanging in the air.

Bellatrix thought back to a few nights ago, she had sat on the chaise in the drawing room, reading through the Prophet. And then she'd heard shouting. It was Father again, always Father. "A man's wife will respect him! You have no right to speak to me like that!" She had heard him say. She listened to how her mother had argued back about how _he'd_ been disrespecting _her_. She'd heard a slap, a gasp, and silence. She didn't do anything, or think anything. She just continued to read, letting the background noises of the house stomp their way upstairs, slamming doors. Bellatrix tried not to think of the thumping of her mother's skull against the wall she had heard later that night, and she had all but blocked her mother's weakened gait the next morning from her mind.

The two stayed quiet for a while, letting the mumbling and laughter from the younger four fill the silence. The breeze off the lake washed over them, soothed them. Rodolphus looked down at her, "After the wedding, you'll be living with me." He stroked her long dark curls as he spoke. "You'll be my property, if the old laws still stand. And I can sue him if he so much as looks at you the wrong way."

She gave a laughter that carried no humour. "That's a nice sentiment, Rod."


	8. Chapter 8

After a few minutes, Rodolphus made his way back through the water to where the others were lying in the warm grass. He sat down and pulled Bellatrix into his lap once more, this time they stayed silent as she leant against his chest and he stroked her hair. The six of them sat in silence for a moment, Sirius lying out on the grass next to Narcissa and Andromeda sitting with her legs out in front of her, Regulus' head in her lap, having his hair stroked too. They sat and lay and rested, letting the sounds of forest and animal to wash over them, the sun warming their limbs and drying their clothes.

Sirius sat up. "When do you reckon we have to be back?" He asked Andromeda.

Andromeda shrugged whilst Rodolphus checked his watch. "We've been out for three hours." He answered.

Narcissa sat up on her forearms and turned to the others. "We should probably get back soon, Daddy will be mad if we're late for dinner."

Andromeda and Bellatrix nodded.

Sirius spoke up. "Ten more minutes?" The others murmured in assent.

They settled back into their places on the grass for no more than two minutes before a loud, harsh screech shook them back into the present. "What was that?!" Sirius exclaimed, eyes wide.

Narcissa got up and walked to the low hanging branch where the horses were tied up. She slowed down the closer she got, so as not to startle the black Eurasian Eagle Owl that was perched there. She called back to the others, "It's Hades. Daddy's sent us a letter." The hostile owl now had everyone's attention.

She spoke softly to the Owl. "It's okay Hades. What a pretty bird! Can I take that letter?" The owl snapped at her reached out fingers, causing her to pull back straight away. "Please?"

After a moment, and an appraising glare, the owl shifted its leg up for her to unwrap the letter. She took the envelope and pulled the parchment from inside, heading back to the group. Her eyes narrowed as she read. "We have to go back. Dinner is in an hour."

The group sighed and Bellatrix shifted off of Rodolphus. "C'mon then, let's get going." She said, pulling Rodolphus to his feet.

Andromeda chuckled softly, "Hang on, someone needs to help me. Reg has fallen asleep." Sirius turned to look at his brother asleep on Andromeda's lap. He didn't realise how much smaller and innocent Regulus was - not often, anyway. But he was. He was small and innocent and undeserving of some of the things he had to deal with. Things like Mother's tongue and Father's cold looks. And he hated thinking that Regulus might have been left alone with their uncle at some point.

Their father would never let them get hurt unless he had to punish them. Unless Sirius had upset his mother. Uncle Cygnus was different. It was almost as if Cygnus enjoyed scaring them, like their lack of power made him happy. Sirius thought that his father probably loved him deep down, he certainly loved Mother at least. But he doubted if Uncle Cygnus could love anything.

He felt the familiar ominous weight settle in his stomach whilst his cousins started to untie the horses. He watched Rodolphus carefully as the man bent down to pick Regulus from Andromeda's lap and settle the boy on his shoulder.

It was obvious Rodolphus was uncomfortable having to be so paternal but Sirius saw that Rodolphus relaxed somewhat after shifting Regulus under his arm and he decided the man wouldn't hurt his brother.

He pulled his socks and boots back onto his feet and stood before jogging over to the Barb horse and taking the reins from Narcissa. After being helped up onto the horse, he sat back in his saddle.

"Trixie, you take Reg's horse back, Wrath is bigger, it'll be easier to ride him back." Rodolphus said before climbing the Friesian horse and sitting Regulus securely against his chest.

Bellatrix climbed atop the chestnut horse that Regulus had ridden before and nodded to her sister. Andromeda trotted off into the trees, four horses following behind her.

* * *

They walked back through the back door and into the kitchen where Jibsey and two other house elves were preparing dinner. The smells made Sirius nearly dizzy with hunger.

Narcissa and Andromeda carried on up the staircase to their rooms on the second floor when Rodolphus stopped in the entrance hall. "Should I wake him?" He asked, gesturing to Regulus with his head.

Bellatrix approached Rodolphus from behind, peering over his shoulder to look at the sleeping boy. She reached up to stroke the soft, black hair. "Reg, darling. Don't sleep now, we've got dinner yet." Sirius watched with a raised brow and wide eyes, amazed at how softly she spoke. It was almost comical how Rodolphus Lestrange and Bellatrix Black looked… domestic. He supposed Regulus had the power to melt even the bitterest of hearts.

Regulus blinked himself awake, peering at Bellatrix blearily before yawning wide. Sirius stepped closer as Rodolphus placed Regulus onto his feet. Sirius held his brothers hand and led him up the stairs, Regulus rubbing his eyes and yawning again as they went.

Regulus seemed to have woken properly by the time they reached the first floor. "How long have we got until dinner? He asked.

"About forty minutes, I expect." Sirius replied. "So quick showers."

They turned left and walked down the corridor until they reached their twin room.

"Can we turn the wireless on, Siri?"

Sirius shrugged, "Don't see why not."

Sirius unbuttoned his waistcoat, untied his tie and started on his shirt buttons, listening to Reg humming along to the tune on the wireless. He turned to Regulus, "I'm going to shower first." Regulus just nodded without looking up from his reflection in the mirror where he was attempting to untie his tie. 

Ten minutes later, Sirius was pulling a new vest top over his head. He took a comb and slicked back his still wet hair, watching the curls at the end bounce back every time the comb released his hair.

He opened his case at the end of his bed, looking for a waistcoat and dress trousers. Instead he the charcoal silk of an áo gấm. He closed his eyes and sighed. It's not as though he didn't like wearing his traditional Vietnamese clothes, it made his mother happy at least, which was an admirable feat indeed. It was a softer material too and it looked nice but it was somewhat restricting.

Regulus walked out of the en suite, a towel wrapped around his waist. Sirius looked up at him from his place beside his case on the floor. "We're in áo gấms, tonight."

Regulus sighed dramatically, much like his brother but he paused for a moment in thought. "Does that mean Father will be, too?"

Sirius shrugged. "Probably. It does seem like a formal dinner. You had best hurry up though," Sirius said whilst he attempted to button the nút móc kết thúc across his right shoulder and down the right side of his waist. He finished attaching each hook through it's loop, closing the thick silks together. He flattened the high collar to his neck and looked to his reflection in the mirror, pulling the silk close to his body.

He turned back around and saw that Regulus had already got his vest and trousers on, and was attempting to fasten the buttons of his áo gấm.

He heard a knock at the door, so instead of going to help Regulus, he headed for the door. Pulling it back he saw Andromeda on the other side. Sirius liked seeing his cousins for dinner. They always seemed their happiest with the way they looked. Andromeda was in a light, green áo dài with a silver floral design stitched into the edges. The dress was clearly expensive and her silk trousers beneath were the same shade of silver as the embroidery. Her dark curls were pulled into a braided chignon, a few loose curls at her cheeks.

Sirius looked up at her with a casual expression. "You look alright." He said, nonchalantly.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Oh shush." She stepped further into the room. "You two need help?"

Regulus answered her with a despairing look and gestured to the criss-crossed fastenings at his neck. She laughed and went to him, bending to his height re-hook them for him.

Sirius closed the door a second before it opened again. Narcissa walked through and went straight to sit on the edge of Sirius' bed. "Good evening."

Sirius got up to close the door again. "Oh yeah. Come on in, door's wide open." He murmured bitterly as he went.

He returned to seat himself on the bed next to Narcissa where they both watched Andromeda pull a comb through Regulus' hair.

Narcissa was in an áo dài, similar to Andromeda, but instead of a silver floral stitching, Narcissa wore light blue silk, cream stitching worked into the corners of the fabric, over cream trousers. Her white blonde hair was curled loosely and fell to the middle of her back. He could see why the blonde boy from the Gentlemen's ball might like her.

Andromeda finished making Regulus look presentable and turned to the two at the bed. She smiled, "you look lovely Cissy."

At that moment, it was Bellatrix's turn to barge into the room. "There you lot are. Is everyone ready?"

"Why do we have to where an áo gấm?" Regulus moaned.

"Blame Sirius, it's _his_ birthday dinner." She nodded her head in Sirius' direction. "And don't complain, you have to wear a long silk coat. I'm wearing underwear, stockings, garters, a binding corset, trousers and this áo dài which was _not_ meant for movement." She looked over at Sirius and sighed. She walked over to him, bent down, and started to straighten out the fastening hooks over his shoulder.

Bent close to him, he could smell her heady perfume and he found it sharp and sweet, he decided he liked it. He looked into her face and took the chance to study her ethereal beauty. She was wearing dark, smoky eye make up, much heavier than what Narcissa and Andromeda had on. Her lips were red and she had done nothing to tame the unruly curls that spilled from her head. She was wearing a plain, black áo dài with the faintest hint at a swirling charcoal embroidery working it's way over her chest. It fit much tighter over her body than Andromeda's and Narcissa's, and although the high collar of the silk hid all of her chest and a large portion of her neck, it was obvious that the fabric was covering the large, muscular breasts and wide hips that her curvy body held.

Bellatrix brushed the grey silk to his chest and stepped back to inspect Regulus. The boys donned their shoes after her approval and the children of Black left the room, each mentally preparing themselves for the dinner to come.


	9. Chapter 9

They met Rodolphus, Orion and Walburga in the entrance hall, waiting outside the doors to the dining room. Orion and Walburga were dressed in the traditional dress of Vietnam, Orion looking more comfortable in an áo gấm than he did when he forced himself into a suit for the eyes of a ministry that disapproved of foreigners.

Rodolphus looked up and smiled as he watched Bellatrix come down the stairs. He slowly walked forward and met her at the bottom step. The room melted around them until just she was left, and he could feel her… her _magic_ … in the air, crackling electric around him. She commanded his attention so easily, too easily.

He held her at the waist and pulled her to him, bending low to kiss her hard.

"Ahem" They heard a throat clearing behind them. He stood and they both turned to find a smiling Druella and a near twitching Cygnus. Rodolphus gave the matriarch a charming smile and widened it further when his eyes met Cygnus'.

Orion cleared his throat. "Shall we?" he said, gesturing to the doors of the dining room.

"Of course," Rodolphus said cheerily, still staring at Cygnus with hate in his smugness in his smile.

Bellatrix was staring at her feet, trying to hide a smile.

Jibsey stretched his arms wide and the double doors opened behind them for them to all walk in. Cygnus sat at the furthest end at the head of the table, Druella to his left. Orion took his seat at the other end of the table after pulling out Walburga's chair to the left of him. Sirius and Bellatrix, as the heirs, sat to the right of their respective Father's whilst everyone else filled in the gaps.

Once they were seated. Jibsey clicked his fingers. "Dinner is served, Masters and Mistresses."

Each plate filled with a foreign starter Sirius didn't recognise. Picking up the outermost cutlery, he dug in. Chatter was slow to start out with but before long the adults had begun complimenting the dinner and asking Druella how her elves had become so talented. 

Druella smiled graciously. "It was Cardia Scrimgeour who recommended it. She was positively raving to me about her last trip to Peru at the Ministry's Summer Fundraiser. Well you know how she is. Said we simply _must_ try Ceviche and have our elves serve it _at once._ " She said, a coy smile and an eye roll sent in Walburga's direction. "Dear Cardia might be a burden but she does know people." 

"Mmm." Cygnus murmured in agreement. "Aonghus Scrimgeour, her husband, is often talking with the Minister. He's almost _advising_ the bloody woman at this point."

"People say she's not fit for it any more." Walburga said, talking about the current Minister for Magic.

Druella spoke up, "Well they certainly loved her when she 'dealt with' those pureblood riots when all those Squibs started shouting out about there 'rights'." She already seemed as if she had one glass of wine too many. Although Sirius supposed she always seemed to be in constant state of flamboyantly tipsy.

Narcissa's eyebrows furrowed. "There were riots?"

"You were young, you probably wouldn't remember." Druella said, waving her down.

Sirius thought for a moment. "But, if she was so good at dealing with riots, why do people say she's not fit to be Minister any more?" he asked.

Bellatrix spoke up "Oo, our Siri _has_ grown up. Talking about politics and all!" She was clearly impressed that he wasn't falling asleep.

"If you would use each other's full names, Bellatrix." Druella gave her daughter a stern look but Bellatrix's smile didn't falter.

"Apologies, Mother."

Cygnus spoke next, addressing Sirius' question. "They say she's getting too old for the job. Not as strong as she used to be and I don't disagree. It's no job for a woman, they're not enough to handle it. Silly girl should stay at home with children."

Sirius watched as Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa rolled their eyes in sync but only Bellatrix spoke. "Oh please Daddy. That's hardly fair; it takes more for a woman to make it in this world, and the fact that she's done it is much more impressive than anything a man could do." Sirius thought she regretted speaking out because, despite her words, she wasn't looking him in the eye.

Walburga must have seen the glare Cygnus was giving his eldest, for she hastily looked to continue the conversation in a different direction. "Yes, well, whether she's man or woman, she's obviously not right for the job."

"Obviously. I'm tired of listening to her speeches on mudblood rights. It's almost painful." Druella said, wryly. "What on earth will she want next? Half-breeds to live in our gardens?" 

All the adults seemed to nod their heads in agreement.

As they finished the starter, a main course of succulent roast chicken and goose appeared on their plates. Vegetables appeared on large platters in the middle of the table and the adults helped themselves.

Rodolphus looked up from his plate after everyone had started their food. "Of course, it's the Dark Lord that's driving her out of office." This piqued Sirius' interest.

Cygnus arched an eyebrow. "Apparently he's quite successful."

"Oh he is. My father shared a dormitory and classes with him at Hogwarts. They became great friends." Rodolphus said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Father says he's been making plans for pureblood rights for years."

Bellatrix had an excited, smug smile on her face. "Oh he's brilliant. He's recruiting more and more from Hogwarts and the Knights of Walpurgis are stronger than ever."

"Knights?" Regulus' excited voice sounded for the first time that night. "Do they fight dragons?"

Bellatrix laughed, "No."

Regulus was instantly unimpressed. "Then what do they do?"

"We are currently campaigning for the Wizard Protection Act to be extended to the old laws. It'll gives us, as purebloods, more protection from the stock of muggles from taking over our world." Rodolphus said.

Regulus rested his chin on his hand and and continued to eat. "Sounds boring."

Rodolphus chuckled. "Well it won't stay boring for long if the Wizengamot continue to refuse us. The Dark Lord is passionate; he'll protect us with brute force if he has to. The Knights of Walpurgis intend to help him."

Orion raised his eyebrows. "Impressive."

"The Dark Lord is impressive. But of course, he needs more support." Belllatrix said. "Perhaps Sirius could join when he's of age. I intend to, of course. The Dark Lord appreciates my talents but I can't become an official knight until I'm married."

"Why the wait?" Walburga asked her.

"Daddy won't allow it. Apparently, I'm to stay home and give _children to the cause_." She said bitterly.

The room was silent as Cygnus' eyes moved about the room, brow raised, silently challenging anyone to disagree with him.

Bellatrix spoke again against her better judgement. "But Rodolphus can give me permission once we're married. The Dark Lord already says I have the talent, that he'll be glad to have me within his ranks." She gloated, as if it were the most impressive thing a person could claim. "I'll be fighting alongside any man. Not a father in sight to stop me." Towards the end of her last sentence, she looked as if she was regretting speaking up altogether.

She once again avoided the glare that was burning the top of her head. She gulped. Sirius thought Cygnus' eyes looked positively murderous.

They continued to eat in silence but Sirius was still interested. " _How_ do the Knights of Walpurgis help?"

Bellatrix looked up again, albeit more timidly. "Well the Dark Lord is a talented man, but he can't very well be everywhere at once, can he?"

"So the Knights of Walpurgis do the man's bidding for him, hm?" Druella said, arching an eyebrow.

Rodolphus plastered on another charm smile. "Well one must give some if he expects to take. The Dark Lord appreciates talent and ambition, I've been training with him since I left Hogwarts and my talents have only thrived. With his guidance, Purebloods will reign like the old days. The man will lead us to glory, mark my words."

Sirius still didn't feel answered. "Well okay, but what _exactly_ do you do?" he asked.

"We are campaigning rather loudly inside the Ministry, at the moment. It's slow work but, within months perhaps, we'll be making big changes." Rodolphus said.

"And the man is _incredible._ He knows what he's doing; gathering followers, training. It's all about winning over the public eye, making sure your presence greatly outweighs that of others." Bellatrix added with an excited smile.

"And he has many followers?" Walburga asked, intrigued.

Rodolphus nodded. "Well almost all of the Sacred Twenty-Eight is on his side. Not to mention the other beings he's been negotiating with."

"Beings?" Druella exclaimed, both her and Narcissa looking horrified.

"Werewolves, Giants, _Inferi_ even. He knows how to do this. And he knows it's only through support, that he will succeed." Rodolphus said, assuredly.

They continued to talk of adult affairs until they finished dessert. When the last of the glasses had been sipped clear - Sirius cringing at the bitter taste of Red wine - the table slowly got up, to leave the dining room.

They walked out of the grand double doors to the opposite side of the entrance hall where the drawing room was. Just as Bellatrix stepped over the threshold a harsh grip took hold of her upper arm. She turned to see her father staring down at her small frame with a blank expression.

He let everyone pass into the drawing room before saying "Bellatrix, a word if you please."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I didn't realise until I had written it, just how dark this fic could get. Poor Siri. Sorry about the cliff hanger.*

Near enough everyone in the room fought with themselves to carry on walking, as if they hadn't heard anything.

Rodolphus stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. He turned to try and think of a way to keep Bellatrix by him but by the time he had turned, the door was closed in his face. He swallowed thickly and turned back to the others in the room, his fists clenching and unclenching in a menacing attempt to control his panic and rage.

Sirius watched him walk back over to the sofa, seating himself stiffly and staring unseeing into the fire. Sirius didn't think he'd ever seen Rodolphus' face so hard and for the first time, Rodolphus actually looked quite threatening. His eye liner and facial tattoos no longer looked flamboyant and charismatic but seemed to frame the danger in the man's eyes.

He looked around - and perhaps it was a new outlook that only came with being eleven – but he started to really see everyone for the first time.

He looked to Narcissa, sitting uncomfortably next to her mother and aunt. Her back was straight and her eyes were bright as she listened to Aunt Druella and Mother talk animatedly about whatever. Sirius always knew Cissy was smart but she acted as if she was a silly little girl. He'd always thought it was because she wanted to grab the attention of boys but perhaps she _had_ to hide her intelligence. Cissy knew how to act. She knew when to look the other way and keep her mouth shut. She was smart because she needed to be. She was smart because that's what had kept her alive thus far. She was visibly different from the rest of the family. Platinum blonde hair to match her mother but her cerulean grey eyes weren't Cygnus' own. They belonged to Ebeus Selwyn, Druella's long ago affair. And although the Selwyns were of Chinese heritage rather than Vietnamese, ignorant white people could not see much of a difference. Narcissa was pretty just like Cygnus so Cygnus had written his name on the child's birth certificate and no one had questioned it. Not openly, at least.

He saw Druella too, her arms gesturing wildly as she talked. She was drunk. Not to the point of it being obvious or unbecoming but she _was_ drunk. But Sirius supposed it must have been hard to tell when one drink was too many when your tolerance is constantly growing. It must have been hard to know how much is enough to forget that Daddy sold her off to a man she didn't love to raise heirs she didn't have. The woman lost her innocence at the tender age of 16 and has been bribing her Healer to keep quiet about her bruises ever since. The price for hiding the vaginal burn scars that Cygnus had given her after her dalliance with another man was high. Only Walburga, who had taken her to the Healer, knew of the now scarred initials 'CB' that branded either side of the apex of her thighs. Druella sipped back another half glass of wine as if it was water to forget that in just a few hours she would crawl back into a monster's bed.

Sirius' gaze shifted to his own mother. She listened to Druella's every word, her eyes cold and her mouth thin. There was a black, fiery hatred in her eyes. Her anger seemed omnipresent, always watching, waiting for something worthy of an explosion but it never came. Sirius had, of course, heard the rumours of what had happened to Walburga Black. About how she was just the near-insane, angry shell of the enigmatic woman she had been because of her brother. Because Cygnus Black is bigger and stronger than she is, and because Cygnus Black takes what he wants, and because Cygnus Black happened to have wanted his sister. Most had waved the rumours off as pureblood wife gossip but Sirius knew his family and thought them entirely true. Anger was how Walburga Black survived.

His father caught his pensive eye next. Orion Black; the ever-silent enigma. The ominous shadow that lurked in the back of Sirius' mind every time he thought he might get away with something. He watched the pained expression on his father's face and saw the effort it took the man to listen to his wife. But he did listen, despite everything, he listened because he always had and always would. He saw the empty look in his father's eye and the heavy sigh that lifted his chest. Orion looked like he was waiting, waiting for the morning when they could go home, waiting for Monday when he'd go back to work. No. He was waiting for it to end. All of it. He was waiting for the effort it took to listen to not be there any more. Both Sirius and Orion knew that that day would never come.

Sirius' focus shifted to Andromeda who laughed and talked and listened to Regulus. There was a smile on 'Meda's face and she looked happy. But she fidgeted where she sat. She moved constantly, tapping her foot or bouncing her knee or covering her smile with her hand. She was unconsciously covering the smile that didn't stretch to her eyes. Her eyes were wide and terrified. Terrified that if she were to stop moving for a second, someone would notice the lie she lived and that'd be it. She'd be dead, or worse, her love would. Sirius couldn't figure out her lie, but he knew there was one.

Finally his gaze shifted to his brother. Regulus. And for some reason, Regulus made Sirius sadder than any other person he'd watched. Regulus was happy and innocent and completely oblivious to everything around him. He was so unbelievably undeserving of the what was coming for him; a war and a murder and a guilty conscience and a death unworthy of a hero. Sirius vowed that he'd do everything in his power from stopping the inevitable from happening.

Andromeda seemed to notice Sirius' uncharacteristic quietness so she waved him over.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked when he walked over and sat with them.

He nodded, smiled and let everything he just saw melt from his head. "Yeah, 'course."

She smiled, satisfied. "So how has your birthday been so far?"

"Brilliant! Mother tells me my actual present will come tomorrow but this morning Father gave me a knife!" He said excitedly, a smile lighting up his face.

Andromeda raised her eyebrows but smiled anyway. "A.. a knife?"

Regulus nodded. "Yeah, she's a beautiful dagger, just like Bella's."

Andromeda seemed slightly startled but got over it quickly, "Well, I hope you're careful with it."

"Of course."

Andromeda nodded. "Oh, by the way, you should go put your new broom in your room. Jibsey hasn't been ordered to so he won't touch it."

Sirius brightened, remembering the broom. "Of course, I haven't shown Mother and Father yet! I'll get it now."

He hopped off of the sofa and walked over to the door, opening it quietly. He stepped into the hallway, expecting to interrupt his uncle and cousin but they weren't there so he carried on towards the staircase.

Out of the sight of a mother to tell him not to, he ran up the staircase and jogged up the left corridor. He walked up these stairs too and turned the corner. He halted.

His path was blocked by Cygnus and Bellatrix and he knew, instantly, that he shouldn't be there, he shouldn't see this. He stepped behind the shadow of a large house plant and watched.

Cygnus held Bellatrix's upper arms. "I'm warning you, girl. You speak out against your father again and I won't be happy."

Bellatrix seemed to be struggling against his grip. "Oh _please_ , you were being rude! I'll speak out against anything I disagree with!" She was fuming. Eyes black, hair wild and her lip curled in loathing.

"I'll teach you manners." He lifted his hand away from her arm and brought it down, hard on her cheek, snapping her head to the side. Sirius cringed at the sound.

She gasped loudly and seemed to be biting back tears at the sting. "You can't. Not any more. I have Rodolphus. We're getting married." She seemed to just be spewing facts, hoping one of them would refute him.

Cygnus stepped back slightly, his voice suddenly calm despite the wildness in his eyes. "I can't? I think you're forgetting that you made me a promise." He suddenly stepped forward again, backing her into the wall completely. He pressed himself against her and dipped his head low against her neck, smelling that heady perfume. "You are mine until you marry, or it'll be your sisters."

Sirius eyes bulged at what was happening. He wanted to do something. He wanted to shout, scream, run – anything at all. But he didn't. He stood, stock still.

Cygnus was looking down at Bellatrix in a way no father should. He slid his hand down her waist, to her hip and reached round, squeezing her arse through her trousers. "You won't break your promise, now will you?" He said, menace dripping from his voice and a smile stretched across his face, knowing he'd won.

Her lip was trembling and Sirius saw a red welt starting to appear from where she had been slapped. She shook her head, defeated.

Cygnus chuckled, "There's my girl." He reached down to kiss her, his hands starting to mover her trousers further down his hips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *not sorry


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Left a bit of a cliffhanger, sorry about that.*

Multiple voices in Sirius' head were screaming. Alarm bells were sounding. He didn't want to see this. Bellatrix didn't want to experience this. But what could he do? Go back to the drawing room and think of a cover story for not having his broom? Whatever he did, he couldn't stop what was going to happen. But he couldn't leave her. It was wrong and Cygnus could do anything to her. But what help was he here, standing and trying not to watch? It's not exactly like he was just storm up to Uncle Cygnus and _scare_ him away. But he couldn't go back downstairs and pretend this wasn't happening.

He turned back around the corner and pressed his back to the wall. He tried his hardest not to hear what was happening but the harder he tried to block them out, the louder the sounds seemed.

He heard clothes and fabric rustling. "Wait! Daddy, wait!" Bellatrix was panicking, her voice breaking and squeaking. Her panic was obvious but Cygnus seemed to have stopped.

"We can't be out here," she said, "anyone could come up and see us." She said, her voice thick with desperation.

Sirius heard nothing for a moment and then Cygnus' gruff voice. "The guest room. In." His voice was hard and Sirius could imagine the menacing look in his eye.

He heard a door open and slam shut. The corridor was silent... far too silent. Sirius peered around the corner through the leaves of the house plant and found no one there. He let out a long breath that he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

His eyes were wide, looking around manically, as if a solution would fall from ceiling or appear from one of the many doors.

He had to go back. He had to get someone. Andromeda, he'd go back and tell Andromeda, she'd know what to do.

Without thought for his broom, he sped back down the steps, almost tripping over his feet, not stopping until he reached the entrance hall. He patted his clothes down and composed himself before entering the drawing room.

He slipped inside and made his way over to where Andromeda was sitting, now listening to the conversation Druella and Walburga were still having.

He walked over to her. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" He said after tapping her on the shoulder.

She turned her head to him, quickly reading his expression. "You alright, Siri?"

He gulped but kept his expression blank. "I need to talk to you, outside preferably." He stressed his words with a pleading look that she didn't miss.

She nodded and got up quickly. Turning to her mother she paused. "Apologies mother, you'll have to excuse me. I just want to show Sirius a book I think he'll like."

Druella looked at her briefly before waving her off with a "yes, yes".

Sirius took Andromeda's hand and dragged her out of the room, into the entrance hall.

He turned to her instantly, not seeming to care she had no idea what was going on. "You have to stop him. He can't, it's not right! You have to help me stop him!" He said, spewing out words not realising they'd have to make sense.

Andromeda looked alarmed at his outburst. "What? Calm down, Siri. Have to stop who?"

Sirius was bouncing on his heels, "Uncle Cygnus. He took Bella, he- they're in the guest bedroom on the second floor."

"He took Bella?" Andromeda's face had darkened considerably.

Sirius just nodded, not wanting to explain any further. Andromeda closed her eyes. She bent low, and knelt on the floor before Sirius.

"Listen to me, okay," her voice was hushed and she was talking quickly, "we can't do anything." Her voice was trembling now, breaking on certain words. "We can't. I'm sorry, that's just the way it is."

Sirius lip was trembling. "But-"

But Andromeda just pulled him to her, hugging him tightly. His eyes were still wide, tears starting to leak out down his cheek.

"How about, tonight, you come to my room on the second floor. We'll stay up and we'll help Bella when she comes back. Sound okay?" Her chin was trembling now, and she looked at him sadly.

"No," he shook his head. "No, it's not okay, we have to help-"

"We can't!" She told him firmly before her voice softened again. "Oh Siri, I'm sorry but we can't." She hugged him to her again, pressing his head into her chest, holding him too tight. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry." She released him and held his shoulders at arms length. "So we'll dry your eyes and excuse ourselves for bed."

He shook his head as she wiped away the tears on his cheeks. "I can't... I can't let Reg know."

She seemed to think so too. "We'll take him to bed and wait for him to sleep, and then we'll come to my room. Rod'll come too."

He nodded and Andromeda finished wiping away his tears. He breathed in to compose himself and they turned towards the door, re-entering the drawing room. They walked over to the two sofa's where Druella and Walburga were.

"Excuse me mother, I'm rather tired so I'll take Sirius and Regulus to bed now, if that's alright."

Druella looked over to Walburga, "That alright with you 'Burga?"

"Yes, yes, they should be headed to bed." She turned to Sirius and gave him that very slight, very rare smile. "Happy Birthday, Sirius."

"Thank you, Mother."

Andromeda and Sirius walked over to where Regulus was dozing off and shook him awake. "C'mon, Reg, time for bed." She took his hand and led him towards the door. Sirius paused though, at the sofa.

"Mr. Lestrange," he was careful with his manners in front of his parents, "are you coming too?"

Rodolphus looked up at Sirius, who gave him a pointed look. He nodded. "Of course. Regulus is falling asleep, I'll take him." He picked Regulus up and shifted him so that he was resting on Rodolphus' shoulder comfortably.

Druella and Walburga watched the four of them leave the room. Walburga turned back to her sister-in-law when the door had shut behind them.

Druella smiled. "He'll make a fine father."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *still not sorry


	12. Chapter 12

They turned down the left corridor at the first floor, reaching Sirius' and Regulus' twin room. Sirius opened the door and stepped back for Rodolphus and Andromeda to walk through.

"Which bed is his?" Rodolphus asked in a hushed voice so as not to wake the sleeping boy in his arms.

Sirius pointed to the bed furthest from them. Rodolphus reached the bed and started to gently shift Regulus in his arms. He placed the boy on the bed, Andromeda taking off Regulus' shoes, trousers and áo gấm. Sirius watched as Rodolphus brought the duvet to Regulus' chin and turned the lamp off.

All of Rodolphus' movements towards Regulus were soft and kind but the man's face was set in stone, worry and hate lining his expression.

Andromeda kissed the top of Regulus' head whilst Rodolphus stood back, his arms crossed and his forearms bulging with tension.

They walked out of the door and shut it behind them. They hadn't taken two steps before Rodolphus had yanked Andromeda back by the arm. "He's got her, hasn't he? Where are they?" Andromeda's eyes were wide as she looked into his incredibly threatening face.

"I don't- the guest bedroom! There in the guest bedroom on the second floor!"

He pushed her back, further into the wall. "How long?" He said, his lip curling in the anger that wasn't meant for Andromeda.

"I- I don't know." She said, almost shaking.

He stared at her and blinked a few times, suddenly realising that he was terrifying her. He quickly backed away from her with an apologetic "c'mon" and they left towards the staircase.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor, walking past the house plant. Sirius thought Rodolphus was going to barge into the guest bedroom and rip Cygnus to pieces. Instead they stopped short of the guest bedroom, turning into a room on the left.

Andromeda opened the door and walked in, towards the king-sized bed in the middle of the room. Rodolphus drew his wand and flicked it at a lamp on the bedside table, lighting up the room around them. Andromeda's room was large. Dark, polished furniture filled the room accented with pale greens and greys.

Andromeda had seated herself on the edge of the bed and stared into her lap. Sirius sat on a dark, cushioned chair in the corner of the room and watched Rodolphus as he paced.

"Why are we just waiting?" The two adults looked to Sirius when he asked the question.

Andromeda sighed heavily.

Sirius asked again, "Shouldn't we be helping?"

She looked up at Sirius, and patted the bed next to her for him to come over. He sat down next to her and she pulled him close to her. "Look, Sirius. We can't do anything."

"But we have Rodolphus now-" Rodolphus looked over at the mention of his name.

"I know that, but Uncle Cygnus is a very powerful man. If Rod did anything, Daddy could have him sent to Azkaban without a trial." She spoke lowly, her voice empty of emotion. "And then Bella would be without a husband to take her away from here." Sirius looked over to Rodolphus and saw the man swallow his emotion. His eyes were glossy and his arms were crossed against his chest before he started up his pacing again.

They waited in silence for what felt like years, Andromeda sat hugging Sirius into her chest, rubbing circles over his back and Rodolphus wearing a line into the carpet.

They heard footsteps on the landing but they were soft. It was only Narcissa heading to bed.

In reality, it had only been half an hour before they heard a door at the end of the corridor open. They all looked up to the closed door, staying silent as a man's footsteps lead off to the staircase.

About a minute later, they heard much softer footsteps approach the door, the handle turned and Bellatrix opened the door.

She looked terrible. There was no nice way of putting it. She held her shoes and ripped stockings in one hand. Red lipstick was smudged against her jaw and mascara was running down her cheeks. Her áo dài was fastened haphazardly, most of the hooks loose from their loops.

Rodolphus instantly rushed over to her and brought her to his chest. Her small frame was encompassed by his arms and she seemed to completely sag against his body, exhausted.

Andromeda quickly got off the bed and hurried over to the door. She looked out into the corridor to check if it was clear. She turned back to Rodolphus and Bellatrix. "C'mon, Bella, to your room," she said.

Rodolphus held her up right as they followed Andromeda across the hall to Bellatrix's room, Sirius following in their wake.

Andromeda opened the door and Sirius' eyes widened at how _Bellatrix_ it all was. Solid, dark floorboards gleamed up at him and Bellatrix's feet stumbled over the deep burgundy fur of the rug on the floor. All of the furniture was made with a near-black varnished wood and deep burgundies and blood reds accented the room.

Rodolphus directed Bellatrix to the chair that Andromeda was pulling out from the vanity table and seated his fiancée on it. She swayed slightly where she sat before she looked up at her reflection in the mirror, a deadened look in her eyes.

"How do you feel? Rodolphus will you go to the bathroom and get the potions?"

Andromeda was keeping up a stream of one-sided conversation whilst she pulled the black silk from Bellatrix's body and started unlacing the binding corset from her back. It was made from a sort of swimsuit type material, meant to keep the contours of her body flat for her áo dài to cling to her curvy form.

Perhaps Andromeda's constant chatter was to give Bellatrix comfort or maybe it was just to fill the otherwise toxic silence. Either way it was helping Sirius to process seeing his cousin that way.

Sirius watched her and Rodolphus move around the rooms. They did everything quietly, like they knew what to do. Like they had practised it. And it suddenly dawned on Sirius, that they had had practice in it. They knew what to do because they had done this so many times before. They were used to it.

Andromeda unlaced all of Bellatrix's corset and walked around her to slide the trousers and fabrics completely from Bellatrix's body, chucking them to where the shoes and stockings were discarded on the floor.

Sirius suddenly couldn't think of what to do but stare at his now naked cousin. He averted his eyes to the en suite that Rodolphus just went through. They were both doing things. Rodolphus and Andromeda were doing things to help but Sirius just stood by the bed watching.

He looked back over at Bellatrix. She didn't seem to care that she was naked. She just stared and blinked. She wasn't sad or scared either, she just looked tired. He looked at her. She was curvy, definitely. Her skin was soft, porcelain apart from the places it wasn't; places like her thighs, which were marred with blueish-blackish bruises. Her breasts were also littered with an array of colours, blue and black contusions marking where hands had grabbed at her too rough.

Andromeda was taking wipes to where her make up had run, whispering words of comfort to her. She must have said something funny because Bellatrix looked up at her, the corners of her mouth turning up in a small laugh. Andy rubbed away the garish red and pink that stained Bella's lips and cheek, and softly dabbed at the watery black flakes of mascara and eye liner, freeing the marble white skin beneath.

Rodolphus walked back into the room with a basket of various vials and jars. He placed the basket on the vanity and looked down at Bellatrix.

He didn't say anything, instead just stroking her hair behind her ear. She looked up at him and smiled. "Hi." She said softly.

He gave a sad smile too. "Hi."

Andromeda finished wiping Bellatrix's face of make up and moved around the back of the chair, picking up a brush, and started on the tangled mess of her hair.

Rodolphus bent down in the space Andromeda had just vacated and grabbed a jar of clear paste from the basket on the vanity. He looked up into her eyes. "Is this okay? It's just Healing Salve." He gestured towards the jar in his hand, as if they didn't use it every time this happened.

She smiled weakly. "Of course, Rod." She said, as if she had never had to say it before.

He nodded and opened the jar, gathering a lump of the salve on his fingers. He reached out and started rubbing the bruises across her chest. Again his movements were explicitly soft despite the dark anger that lined his face.

Sirius moved closer and watched as Rodolphus' fingers brushed over the blueish lines that made the shape of fingers. Rodolphus looked almost pained as he brushed the salve over the ugly marks. Rodolphus was careful not to touch her as if to grope her, to make his caress clinical rather than intimate. The marks were clearly going to darken by morning but a few nights of reapplying the salve and her body would be clear of them altogether.

He brushed the white-ish paste over her biceps and covered the bruises there too.

After a soft touch to her split lip from being slapped in the hallway earlier, he shifted so he could reach her thighs and hips. Bellatrix winced as he brushed the bruises on her hips. He paused then and looked up at her. "Trix, I need you to-" He swallowed thickly and lightly tapped her knee.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a moment before her expression cleared in comprehension and she opened her legs for him. He continued to treat the bruises on the inside the of her thighs, moving higher along her legs until he reached her center. Rodolphus could already see the bruising there too and his jaw tightened in cold hatred as he tried his best to coat the torn flesh with the salve, also trying his best to block out Bellatrix's soft whimpers and winces as he touched the place it hurt most, making sure ripped labia was covered so that it healed properly without infection.

After a few minutes he pulled back, screwed the lid back onto the jar and stood.

Andromeda looked over at Sirius. "There's a silk nightie in that drawer. Could you get it for me?"

Sirius nodded straight away, happy to finally have the ability to do something and walked over to the drawer, rooting through various night gowns and shirts until he found the nightie Andromeda had asked for.

He pulled it out, handed it to her and watched as Andromeda lifted the nightie over Bellatrix's head and pulled it down to the middle of her thigh.

If Sirius listened carefully he could have sworn he heard Bellatrix whisper a 'thank you' to Andromeda.

Bellatrix made to stand but Rodolphus caught her at the waist and steadied her as she wobbled. He bent and lifted her bridal style. He carried her to the King bed and carefully climbed onto it, settling himself against the pillows. Bellatrix shifted so that she rested comfortably between his legs, her head on his chest.

He stroked her hair, kissing the top of her head every so often. Bellatrix looked around the room and her eyes settled on Sirius for the first time that night.

"You shouldn't be here." She said to him, her voice soft and tired.

Andromeda stepped forward. "Sirius was the one who came and got us."

Bellatrix looked from Andromeda, back to Sirius. "Yeah? You did that?" Her voice was immensely tired but her eyes were staring into him undeterred.

He nodded at her.

Her mouth turned up in a sad smile. "You're a very brave man." Sirius had never been called a man or even brave before and he felt himself swell with pride at her words. He felt an overwhelming feeling of duty flood him, a duty to protect the nasty, cynical woman who was really quite broken inside, but then she spoke again. "I'm sorry you have to be so brave."

And all of a sudden he deflated again. All of a sudden he was reminded of the fact that he couldn't protect her - he couldn't protect anyone. Because he was eleven and he was a Black and the bad people are bigger. And bigger people win.

He wasn't a courageous knight in one of Reg's stories. He wasn't the underdog who would overcome his adversaries. He was a boy who had to keep his head down and his mouth shut and watch as the bad guys do bad things and get away with it.

Sirius watched as Bellatrix blinked herself to sleep. Rodolphus kicked off his shoes and sighed heavily. Andromeda continued to potter around the room, putting the basket back in the bathroom and rummaging through Bellatrix's drawers. He presumed she was laying something out for Bellatrix to where the next day.

When she was finished, she came over to where Bellatrix was curled up on Rodolphus, bent low and kissed her older sister on the forehead. "Goodnight, Bella." She whispered and left the room quickly, slyly wiping a tear from her eye.

Sirius looked at Rodolphus, the only other awake person in the room. "I'm not leaving." He said immediately, and climbed up onto the foot of the bed as if to prove his point.

Rodolphus looked him up and down, shrugged slightly and turned back to Bellatrix to stroke her hair again.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of starting to feel bad for Bella and Siri for what I've put them through. 
> 
> *shrug* 
> 
> Also, surprise mention of hell0lust's Evelyn Greengrass!

They sat in silence for a while, Bellatrix's deep breath a steady background to Sirius' thoughts.

He hated Uncle Cygnus, he knew that. He thought about how his mother and his uncle Alphard had spent their childhood with him and how Aunt Druella had _lost_ her childhood to him. It wasn't fair. Why did everyone's misery have to stem from one man? Well he is the Master of the House, he supposed. But he wasn't! Father was in charge. Orion was the one with th _e_ ancestral home, rather than just an estate that came with some dowry however many generations ago. But what could Orion do? Orion was _Father_ but Cygnus was _Uncle Cygus_. The face that the family would lose if Father ever tried prosecuting Uncle Cygnus would be devastating. They were already the rich, powerful immigrants; no need to give the pureblood wives any more fodder against them. Besides, the Blacks were an ancient and pure house and no one could admit otherwise. 

"Why?" Sirius had asked the question without even realising he spoke aloud.

Rodolphus looked up. "What?"

Sirius blinked a few times before he spoke, realising that what he'd said hadn't made any sense. "Why does he do it?"

Rodolphus looked at him for a moment before heaving a heavy sigh. "I couldn't tell you. He's a sick man," he paused, "with a lot of power." He added as an after thought.

Sirius watched Rodolphus try and fail to keep his expression cool. He looked back down to the woman asleep in his arms.

"Do you love her?" Sirius' question seem to startle him and Rodolphus seemed to think a while before he answered.

"No." He shook his head slightly. "At least I don't think so. Not in the way a man should love his fiancé. I don't love her enough to marry her, but she doesn't love me." The more he talked, the more he seemed to be talking to himself rather than Sirius. "Maybe we'll be lucky and fall in love whilst we're married." Rodolphus gave a breath of humourless laughter before looking back up at Sirius. "You'd best go to bed."

Sirius shook his head. "What do you do at the ministry?" He knew he was asking too many questions but he felt that Rodolphus would tell him anything right now.

Rodolphus narrowed his eyes slightly in confusion but answered anyway. "I work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I'm a Hunter."

Sirius started to move further up the bed. "What's a Hunter?" He continued to crawl towards the pillows until he sat next to Rodolphus against the headboard.

"I hunt criminals down that are evading the law and bring them to the ministry so they can serve their sentence."

Sirius nodded and tried to think of another question to fill the silence. He looked down at Bellatrix and it occurred to him he had never seen her sleeping. Whatever events that had happened that night, there was no trace of it on her face. She was angelic, a serenity he had never seen on her and Sirius decided it suited her. Her brow was devoid of any sign of age and her mouth held no frown. She was beautiful, really. He'd always known that, but right now, she wore no make up and held no expression. He was seeing Bellatrix for what she was and she was beautiful.

He reached out toward the mountain of dark curls but stopped himself.

Rodolphus noticed his hesitation and said, "go on. She's not going to bite."

He reached his hand out again and stroked Bellatrix's hair. "I've never seen her so quiet." Rodolphus stayed silent as he spoke. "She's always so loud and angry but happy at the same time." Sirius looked up Rodolphus. "She won't stay quiet, will she?"

"No." Rodolphus face grew dark again. "He- he's been doing this to her since she was nine." He paused, "She's... used to it. She'll be herself in a few days."

Sirius looked to change the subject. "She's very pretty. Like Evie from the Gentleman's Ball." He said.

Rodolphus raised an eyebrow. "Evie? She someone you've taken a fancy to?"

Sirius looked up at him, his brows furrowed. "'Course not. I don't like any girls." He paused. "Well they're alright, I suppose. But Evie's my _friend._ "

Rodolphus nodded in understanding, a smile on his face. "So you haven't chosen a wife yet?" The look of revulsion on Sirius' face almost made him chuckle.

"Merlin, no! Are you mad?"

"But you have to fancy _someone_." Rodolphus said, teasingly.

Sirius shook his head so much, he thought it might fall off. "No! Never!"

"Never? So you'll _never_ marry?"

Sirius raised his brow in defiance. "Never. I'll be a bachelor for life like my uncle Alphard."

Rodolphus started to laugh at Sirius' reaction, accidentally waking Bellatrix. They both paused as she fidgeted on his chest, mumbling sleepily.

"What was that?" Rodolphus asked softly.

"Pillow. Need a pillow." She groaned.

Sirius reached behind him and grabbed a soft pillow, handing it to Bellatrix. She took it and placed it between her thighs. Both Sirius and Rodolphus were harshly reminded of why they were there and the laughing stopped.

Bellatrix look up at Rodolphus, clutching his dress shirt. "Hurts."

He brought his arms tighter around her. "I know, try and get some sleep." He kissed her hair. "Sirius, pass me the fur over there." He nodded in the direction of the foot of the bed.

Sirius crawled to where are large blanket of deep, russet fur lay and brought it back over to Rodolphus, helping him to cover Bellatrix with it.

Sirius settled back down against the head board and the silence extended again for a few minutes.

"Do you think you'll have heirs?" Sirius looked up at Rodolphus questioningly.

The man shrugged. "Not sure. My father wants me to, of course, but we don't want them."

"Why not?"

Rodolphus looked up at Sirius. "Why all the questions?"

It was Sirius' turn to shrug. Truthfully, he didn't know why. He supposed he was scouting Rodolphus out, trying to save Bellatrix from a bad marriage. He tried to tell Rodolphus this but they weren't the words that came out.

"The silence scares me."

He was appalled at himself. He was a _Black_! Blacks weren't scared. And when they were, they _weren't_. He kept his gaze cast downward to his lap when Rodolphus said something he wasn't prepared for.

"Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make it clear that no Sirius does not fancy Evie or any girls bc he's a lil gay bean and just doesn't know it yet (bc lets be real, gay is not a concept that would have even crossed his little mind with a family like his) so cool k thanks continue


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is: the last chapter. And it's not really as much of a chapter as it is an epilogue, so I'm sorry for it being rather short.
> 
> This has been fun. For me, not the characters. Who knows, I might write more serial fics?

Sirius woke in a bed that wasn't his. He blinked himself awake and sat up, bringing his fists to his eyes. The room around him was dark still and he looked over to the other bed, finding dark hair splayed across the pillows. He assumed Regulus was still asleep.

He hadn't remembered going back to bed last night. He assumed someone had carried him in his sleep. Nothing was hazy about the day before either. There wasn't some moment of ignorant bliss before the world came crashing around him. No, his awakening was harsh from the start. He remembered it all and he wondered what breakfast would be like.

He wondered who knew. Perhaps no one. That was a nice thought, but if he'd learnt anything from his eleventh birthday it was that Cygnus Black had the power to get away with anything, no matter who knew what he'd done.

And image was everything to the Blacks, he knew that. He also knew that Bellatrix's innocence and body weren't worth admitting how broken the family were. He knew that bruises would be magically healed and scars would be covered with expensive silks and laces, he knew that mental illness would be masked with an alcoholic breath and the broken pieces of what used to be a child would be taped back together with a condescending smirk and the arc of an eyebrow. This concoction was how the Blacks survived, pretending that their inbreeding was purity and bigotry was aristocracy.

He pushed the heavy covers off his lap and got out of the bed, walking over to the other bed to shake Regulus awake. "C'mon, Reg. Get ready for breakfast."

After the resulting groan about the breakfast table not being as comfy as the bed, Sirius moved over to the case at the end of his bed and started to dress.

Regulus huffed a sigh and sat up, stretching his arms wide and yawning. He got out of bed and opened the curtains, basking the room in warm, golden light.

The boys dressed in silence and sat on their respective beds, Regulus still wiping sleep out of his eyes. A knock sounded at the door and Sirius went to answer it. He pulled it open to reveal Andromeda in a pretty blue áo dài. "Sirius, how are you?"

"I'm alright," he smiled. "Are we to go down to breakfast?"

"If you'd like."

Regulus got up off the bed and rushed out of the room, obviously hungry, but Andromeda didn't move. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, her voice no longer light and jovial.

"Of course, is Bella?"

She nodded. "She's taken a few pain relieving draughts so she'll be okay. Listen, Siri-" but he cut her off.

"I know. Some things can't be fixed. I'll keep it to myself." He gave her a sad smile to reassure her some.

Her face softened in relief. "Thank you."

He looked to make her smile a bit so he lifted his elbow to her. "Can I escort you to breakfast?"

A smile graced her face again. "I'd be honoured." She took his arm and they left the room together.

* * *

Sirius sat at the breakfast table, across from his brother this time. Once again the adults were chattering away about whatever but neither Bellatrix nor Rodolphus were joining in, instead opting to stare into their food.

Bellatrix had come down the staircase with Rodolphus after Sirius. He had watched her lean into Rodolphus' arm and she had walked with a stiffer gait and looser hips. He tried not to notice but he couldn't help it.

Cygnus continued to rant on about the current Minister for Magic. "It'll be Michum next, mark my words. He knows how to use power effectively. Jenkins just has no chance, silly girl needs to go home and stop trying to meddle in things that are too difficult for her."

Sirius looked up towards Bellatrix. Her brow was furrowed but she didn't look close to saying anything. He looked toward Cygnus, who seemed to notice the same thing, and Sirius watched the man sit back into his chair, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Druella only gave a furtive glance toward Bellatrix, and Rodolphus stared straight ahead, fit to kill.

Sirius glanced back to his breakfast and worked hard to clear his mind. His family was a war zone, a battlefield of knowing when to speak and how to act, doing anything you can to make sure no one finds out what they all already know. To make sure no one notices that you're not perfect. And when no one talks of the monsters that stare back at them from their mirrors, it becomes a lonely place, with only a child's darkening thoughts for company. And he realised everyone in war is a victim. If he was to survive, he had to win. And the only way to win with the hand that life had dealt him, was to bluff.

Sirius would become very good at bluffing.


End file.
